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CUTTING EDGE |

* Department of Medicine and
Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232
| Abstract |
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| Introduction |
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GSLs play active roles in cell signaling. The sialoglycosphingolipid GM1 is the most commonly used marker of lipid rafts, and GM1 accumulates in the immunological synapse (4). In motile T cells, GM1 accumulates in the rear of the cell whereas GM3 accumulates in the leading edge (5). GM1 modulates opioid receptor signal transduction (6, 7). TNF-
increases GM3 synthase gene transcription and GM3 levels (8). Thus, lipid raft GSL content is tightly regulated, and GSLs play distinct roles in cellular processes.
However, mechanisms by which GSLs regulate cell signaling remain unclear. One hypothesis is that endogenous sialidases act on GSLs to modulate raft GSL content and cell signaling (9, 10). Activation of T cells in vitro induces sialidase gene expression and activity (11, 12, 13). Various GSLs are implicated as targets of endogenous sialidases (9, 10, 11, 13, 14). Mammalian sialidases predominantly act on polysialyated GSL substrates (e.g., GD1a and GT1b), and the principal reaction product is monosialyated GM1 (13, 15, 16). Activation of T cells in vitro by anti-CD3 stimulation increases surface GM1 levels (17). Thus, increased T cell GM1 levels may be mediated by endogenous sialidase acting on polysialyated GSLs.
We tested the hypothesis that an endogenous sialidase regulates T cell GM1 expression and plays an immunoregulatory role in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in vivo. RSV is the chief cause of bronchiolitis and viral pneumonia in infants. In BALB/c mice, the immune response to primary infection with the A2 strain of RSV is characterized by the influx of IFN-
-producing T cells in the lung and a robust CTL response (18, 19). We now show that RSV infection increases activated T cell GM1 expression in vivo and induces endogenous sialidase activity in lung mononuclear cells. Treatment of RSV-infected mice with the sialidase/neuraminidase (NA) inhibitor oseltamivir reduces GM1 expression on the surface of T cells, blunts RSV-induced weight loss, and inhibits viral clearance.
| Materials and Methods |
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The A2 strain of RSV was provided by R. Chanock (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD). Female, 8- to 10-wk-old BALB/c (Charles River Laboratories) mice were infected intranasally with 106 PFU of RSV or mock-infected as described previously (20).
Flow cytometric analysis of lung mononuclear cells
Lungs were harvested, and mononuclear cells were isolated by Ficoll-Hypaque centrifugation. Cells were counted then treated and stained using anti-CD3, anti-CD8a, and anti-CD4 Abs (BD Pharmingen). For staining of intracellular IFN-
, cells were stimulated in RPMI 1640/10% heat-inactivated FBS/1 µM ionomycin (Sigma-Aldrich)/10 ng/ml PMA (Sigma-Aldrich)/7 µl/10 ml Golgi Stop (BD Pharmingen) for 6 h at 37°C with 5% CO2. FITC-conjugated cholera toxin B subunit (CtxB-FITC) was obtained from Sigma-Aldrich. In titration studies, we determined that 0.1 µg of CtxB-FITC per 2 x 105 cells resulted in appropriate GM1 staining. For staining RSV-specific CD8+ T cells, we used RSV M2-specific PE-conjugated H-2Kd tetramers or, as a negative control, influenza nucleoprotein-specific PE-conjugated H-2Kd tetramers (Beckman Coulter) as described previously (21). Cell samples were analyzed using a LSR II flow cytometer (BD Biosciences). Data were analyzed using WinMDI 2.8 software.
Quantitation of virus and IFN-
in lung tissue
Infectious RSV was titrated in triplicate by plaque assay on HEp-2 cells as described previously (20). Levels of IFN-
were measured in lung homogenates diluted 1:10 using an ELISA kit (R&D Systems).
Sialidase assay
Sialidase activity of lung mononuclear cells was measured in duplicate using 2'-(4-methylumbelliferyl)-
-D-N-acetylneuraminic acid (4-MUNANA) (Sigma-Aldrich) as a substrate as described previously (11). Cells were resuspended in 12 mM CaCl2 at 3 x 107 cells/ml and incubated at 37°C for 10 min. The assay buffer consisted of 100 µl of 0.2 M sodium acetate/0.2 M acetic acid (pH 5.5), 10 µl of 2 mM 4-MUNANA, and 10 µl of 10 mg/ml BSA. Eighty microliters of cells (2.4 x 106 cells), 80 µl of 12 mM CaCl2 (blank), or 0.1 U of Vibrio cholerae NA (Sigma-Aldrich) in 80 µl of 12 mM CaCl2 (positive control) were added to the assay buffer and incubated at 37°C for 45 min. The reaction was stopped by addition of 800 µl of 20 mM sodium bicarbonate (pH 10.4). The fluorescent product of sialidase cleavage of 4-MUNANA is 4-methylumbelliferone (4-MU), which was quantified in a SpectraMax M5 plate reader (Molecular Devices). The concentration of 4-MU was calculated by subtracting the value of the blank and comparing to a standard curve generated from free 4-MU (Sigma-Aldrich).
Oseltamivir treatment
Oseltamivir phosphate for oral suspension (Roche Laboratories) was reconstituted in water according to the manufacturers instructions. BALB/c mice were infected with RSV as described above. The mice were given water or 10 mg/kg/day oseltamivir by oral gavage 4 h preinfection and then every 12 h. Mice given 10 mg/kg/day of oseltamivir have plasma levels similar to humans given an oral dose of 75 mg twice daily (22).
Statistical analyses
Values of p were determined by a two-tailed t test, assuming equal variance. Data are representative of at least three replicate experiments in which similar results were found in all replicate experiments.
| Results |
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Because T cells activated in vitro have increased surface GM1 expression, we hypothesized that RSV infection would increase GM1 cell surface expression on activated T cells in vivo (17). In our hands, the peak day of lung IFN-
levels in RSV-infected BALB/c mice is 6 days postinfection (d.p.i.) (23). The peak pulmonary T cell response of BALB/c mice to primary RSV infection is 612 d.p.i., and the IFN-
-expressing CD8+ T cells peak earlier than RSV-specific CD8+ T cells (18, 19, 24). Thus, 6 d.p.i. represents the peak IFN-
response and the onset of the T cell response to primary RSV infection in BALB/c mice. Lung mononuclear cells were isolated from mock-infected and RSV-infected mice 6 d.p.i. We used FITC-conjugated CtxB, which specifically binds GM1, to quantify cell surface GM1 by flow cytometry (25). CtxB staining revealed GM1low and GM1high lymphocytes in the lungs of mock-infected and RSV-infected mice (Fig. 1A). RSV infection resulted in a significant increase in GM1 levels on the surface of CD8+ T cells (Fig. 1, A and B). Thus, RSV infection increased T cell GM1 expression. Similar results were observed 8 d.p.i. (data not shown). Seventy-three to 80% of IFN-
-expressing CD8+ T cells from the lungs of both mock-infected and RSV-infected mice were GM1high (Fig. 1C). RSV infection induced the accumulation of large numbers of GM1highIFN-
+ CD8+ T cells in the lung 6 d.p.i. (Fig. 1D). We hypothesized that because GM1 was an activation marker of CD8+ T cells, the GM1high CD8+ T cells would be RSV-specific. To test this hypothesis, we used RSV-specific tetramers. Virtually all RSV-specific CD8+ T cells in the lungs of RSV-infected mice were GM1high (Fig. 2). Similar results were observed 8 d.p.i. (data not shown). Thus, IFN-
-expressing and RSV-specific CD8+ T cells in the lungs of RSV-infected mice were GM1high. To our knowledge, this is the first report of increased GM1 expression in activated T cells in vivo.
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Because T cells activated in vitro have increased endogenous sialidase activity and RSV infection induces a robust T cell response in the lungs of BALB/c mice, we hypothesized that RSV infection would increase endogenous sialidase activity in lung inflammatory cells in vivo (11, 12, 13). Lung mononuclear cells were isolated from mock-infected and RSV-infected mice 6 d.p.i. RSV infection increased lung mononuclear cell endogenous sialidase activity 3.7-fold (Table I). To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration that inflammatory cell endogenous sialidase activity can be induced by viral infection.
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To test the hypothesis that an endogenous sialidase is involved in T cell GM1 expression and RSV pathogenesis, we treated mice with the sialidase/NA inhibitor oseltamivir. Oseltamivir has been shown to enhance morphine analgesia in mice, and the effects of morphine are known to be modulated by GM1 and endogenous sialidase, with speculation that oseltamivir blocks GM1 synthesis by inhibiting an endogenous sialidase that targets polysialyated lipids (6, 7). Consistent with this hypothesis, oseltamivir treatment of RSV-infected mice decreased CD8+ T cell surface levels of GM1 6 d.p.i. (Fig. 3, A and B), while not altering the percentage or total number of CD8+ T cells in the lungs of RSV-infected mice that were IFN-
-expressing or RSV-specific 6 or 8 d.p.i. (data not shown). However, oseltamivir treatment inhibited clearance of infectious RSV from the lung 6 d.p.i. and reduced RSV-induced weight loss (Fig. 4, A and B). Oseltamivir had no effect on peak viral titers 4 d.p.i. (data not shown), nor modulated IFN-
levels in the lungs of RSV-infected mice 6 d.p.i. (data not shown). Taken together, these data indicate that an endogenous sialidase regulates CD8+ T cell GM1 surface levels in vivo, modulates RSV-induced illness, and promotes viral clearance.
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| Discussion |
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Sialidases regulate T cell activation and cytokine expression. There are three known sialidases in mice and humans, neu-1, neu-2, and neu-3 (13). Neu-1 and neu-3 are induced in T cells by TCR stimulation, and these enzymes regulate T cell cytokine expression (11, 13, 26). These studies led to the hypothesis that GSL metabolism plays a role in T cell regulation and cytokine expression (10). Interestingly, it was recently reported that GM1 expression is increased in T cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, a disease in which T cells play an immunopathological role (27, 28). Altering GSL metabolism and/or targeting endogenous sialidases action may provide therapeutic strategies for T cell-mediated diseases.
In BALB/c mice, RSV clearance and RSV-induced weight loss are mediated by T cells (29). Depletion of CD4+ and/or CD8+ lymphocytes delays viral clearance and has no effect on peak (4 d.p.i.) RSV titers in the lung (29). Similarly, oseltamivir treatment inhibited RSV-induced weight loss, delayed RSV clearance, and had no effect on peak viral titers. Thus, it is likely that the inhibitory effect on oseltamivir on RSV clearance is mediated, at least in part, by T cells. This hypothesis is supported by our observation that oseltamivir reduced CD8+ T cell GM1 levels. Depletion of LFA-1-expressing cells in RSV-infected BALB/c mice also delays viral clearance and reduces illness, and LFA-1 is lipid-raft-associated (30, 31).
Our data strongly suggests that oseltamivir can inhibit an endogenous sialidase. Oseltamivir blocks GM1-mediated opioid hyperalgesia induced by low doses of morphine (7). Exogenous NA increases GM1 levels on neurons in vitro, and administration of NA or GM1 to neurons enhances the ability of low-dose morphine to stimulate excitatory signaling (7). In this study, oseltamivir decreased GM1 levels on the surface of CD8+ T cells in the lungs of RSV-infected mice. Oseltamivir inhibited RSV clearance and RSV-induced illness, which, taken together with the GM1 data, suggests that the drug inhibits the T cell response to RSV infection. However, it is possible that an oseltamivir-sensitive endogenous sialidase acts on a substrate other than GSLs to regulate antiviral immunity. For instance, it is known that activated T cells have increased sialidase activity and also have hyposialyated MHC class I molecules (12, 26). In our experimental system, oseltamivir treatment had no effect on ex vivo lung mononuclear cell sialidase activity induced by RSV infection (data not shown). The reasons for this are unclear but may be related to the relatively short half-life of the active form of the drug, the length of time it took to perform the ex vivo experiments, and/or extensive washing of the lung cells. Further studies will be required to define sialidase(s) and substrate(s) involved in oseltamivir-mediated inhibition of the antiviral response to RSV.
Inhibition of RSV clearance by oseltamivir treatment has implications for treating respiratory viral infections. Oseltamivir was developed as an influenza NA inhibitor based on x-ray crystal structures of influenza NA complexed with sialic acid (32). If oseltamivir inhibits a human endogenous sialidase that is important for T cell antiviral functions, we speculate that this anti-inflammatory effect could possibly prolong shedding of viruses that lack NA, such as RSV.
| Acknowledgments |
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| Disclosures |
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| Footnotes |
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1 This work was supported by National Institutes of Health Grants HL069949, AI054660, and T32 GM07569, and American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Education and Research Trust Award. ![]()
2 Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. R. Stokes Peebles, Jr., T-1218 MCN, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232-2650. E-mail address: stokes.peebles{at}vanderbilt.edu ![]()
3 Abbreviations used in this paper: GSL, glycosphingolipid; RSV, respiratory syncytial virus; NA, neuraminidase; CtxB, cholera toxin B subunit; 4-MUNANA, 2'-(4-methylumbelliferyl)-
-D-N-acetylneuraminic acid; 4-MU, 4-methylumbelliferone; d.p.i., day postinfection; MFI, mean fluorescence intensity. ![]()
Received for publication October 12, 2006. Accepted for publication December 21, 2006.
| References |
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expression in natural killer cells precedes lung CD8+ T cell recruitment during respiratory syncytial virus infection. J. Gen. Virol. 79: 2593-2601. [Abstract]This article has been cited by other articles:
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K. Hata, K. Koseki, K. Yamaguchi, S. Moriya, Y. Suzuki, S. Yingsakmongkon, G. Hirai, M. Sodeoka, M. von Itzstein, and T. Miyagi Limited Inhibitory Effects of Oseltamivir and Zanamivir on Human Sialidases Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., October 1, 2008; 52(10): 3484 - 3491. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
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